Everett film festival selections range far, wide

This year’s Everett Film Festival will be like visiting a concession stand of goodies for the senses.

There are even treats for politically correct senses, such as a movie about plastic bags that points out that plastic was meant to be thrown away, right?

But where is “away”?

Then there are several films for the comic senses.

How about the one with yodeling lesbian twins?

Or a romantic comedy starring Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt and Rosemary DeWitt, set on an island in the Pacific Northwest.

That film, “Your Sister’s Sister” was directed by Lynn Shelton, who will answer questions after the film’s screening Saturday.

These are just some of the offerings at this year’s 16th annual Everett Film Festival that kicks off Friday night with a gala reception with a wine bar and gourmet snacks.

The festival has a variety of shorts and longer films that continue through Saturday night at Everett Performing Arts Center.

There really isn’t a theme to this year’s festival, said organizer Teresa Henderson, who joked that one of the patrons thought the theme of last year’s festival was death.

“The woman asked on her comment card, ‘Why would you want the theme of death?’ and we weren’t even aware of that, we just selected the films because we liked them,” Henderson said.

That’s pretty much how this year’s selection was made as well, the result being “an eclectic mix of films that are interesting and engaging and entertaining,” Henderson said.

Highlights of this year’s lineup include:

“Top Twins: Untouchable Girls,” about Topp twins Lynda and Jools, who as children performed musical acts and now as adults are quite famous in New Zealand and perform around the world.

Henderson described the movie as a lot of fun to watch as the twins take on a variety of different personas in their acts.

The movie “Somewhere Between” follow the lives of four teenage girls adopted from China.

“The kids are pretty well adjusted though all have that same thought in the back of their mind: Why didn’t my family keep me?” Henderson said.

For the airplane-loving crowd there’s the movie “The Legend of Pancho Barnes,” a feature documentary about Florence “Pancho” Barnes, a fearless female flyer and stunt pilot who was a competitor of Amelia Earhart’s.

“Bag It” is a film about a regular guy who resolves to stop using plastic bags.

“We are all very well aware of the issue of plastic in our lives and this wakes you up to how much plastic is out there,” Henderson said. “It’s a heavy subject done in a lighter way.”

Other films and shorts touch on topics such as an artist surviving the Holocaust and a lifetime of memories in a wedding gown.

Tickets are $40 and $25 for the full festival; $20 and $15 for Friday only including the gala and $25 and $15 for Saturday only. Call 425-257-8600 or 888-257-3722 or in person at the box office at go to www.everettfilmfest.org.